Highly selective colorimetric sensor for Zn2+ based on hetarylazo derivative

Modified polymeric hydrogels for the detection of Zn2+ in E. coli bacterial cells and Zn2+, Cd2+ and Hg2+ in industrial effluents

The article focusses on exploring the real-time application of meta-benziporphodimethene (m-BPDM) embedded polyacrylamide/carboxymethylguargum (PAM/CMG) hydrogel. The hydrogel-based sensor is highly selective for Zn²⁺, Cd²⁺ and Hg²⁺ with no significant response to other competitive cations including Na⁺, K⁺, Ca²⁺, Cr³⁺, Pb²⁺, Mg²⁺, Mn²⁺, Co²⁺, Cu²⁺ in aqueous medium. Initially, the stability of the hydrogel has been examined at different pH conditions. The sensitivity of the hydrogel was found to be 0.5, 1, and 2 ppm in 1, 2 and 3 h for Hg²⁺, Zn²⁺, and Cd²⁺, respectively, at pH 6. The sensor exhibits colour change from red to bluish-green with Zn²⁺, Cd²⁺ and Hg²⁺ in water over other ions. The modified hydrogel matrix displayed a unique naked eye turn-on colorimetric sensor selectivity for Zn²⁺, Cd²⁺ and Hg²⁺ ions in the aqueous solutions of Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacterial cells and industrial effluents. During the detection process, the zinc metal ions released because of cell lysis bind with hydrogel, in the former. The binding of Zn²⁺ causes the change in the colour of hydrogel from red to bluish-green, which was visually detected. The m-BPDM does not leach out and is stable in the hydrogel matrix. The sensing of Zn²⁺, Cd²⁺ and Hg²⁺ was achieved by directly adding hydrogel into industrial effluent without any pretreatment of effluent. The quantitative determination of Zn²⁺, Cd²⁺ and Hg²⁺ in industrial effluent was performed by the atomic absorption spectroscopy technique just to confirm the results obtained with the hydrogel.

A zinc selective oxytocin based biosensor

Oxytocin is a peptide hormone with high affinity to both Zn²⁺ and Cu²⁺ ions compared to other metal ions. This affinity makes oxytocin an attractive recognition layer for monitoring the levels of these essential ions in biofluids. Native oxytocin cannot differentiate between Cu²⁺ and Zn²⁺ ions and hence it is not useful for sensing Zn²⁺ in the presence of Cu²⁺. We elucidated the effect of the terminal amine group of oxytocin on the affinity toward Cu²⁺ using theoretical calculations. We designed a new Zn²⁺ selective oxytocin-based biosensor that utilizes the terminal amine for surface anchoring, also preventing the response to Cu²⁺. The biosensor shows exceptional selectivity and very high sensitivity to Zn²⁺ in impedimetric biosensing. This study shows for the first time an oxytocin derived sensor that can be used directly for sensing Zn²⁺ in the presence of Cu²⁺.

Metal Cation Detection in Drinking Water

Maintaining a clean water supply is of utmost importance for human civilization. Human activities are putting an increasing strain on Earth’s freshwater reserves and on the quality of available water on Earth. To ensure cleanliness and potability of water, sensors are required to monitor various water quality parameters in surface, ground, drinking, process, and waste water. One set of parameters with high importance is the presence of cations. Some cations can play a beneficial role in human biology, and others have detrimental effects. In this review, various lab-based and field-based methods of cation detection are discussed, and the uses of these methods for the monitoring of water are investigated for their selectivity and sensitivity. The cations chosen were barium, cadmium, chromium, copper, hardness (calcium, magnesium), lead, mercury, nickel, silver, uranium, and zinc. The methods investigated range from optical (absorbance/fluorescence) to electrical (potentiometry, voltammetry, chemiresistivity), mechanical (quartz crystal microbalance), and spectrometric (mass spectrometry). Emphasis is placed on recent developments in mobile sensing technologies, including for integration into microfluidics.

Reversible "Off-On" Fluorescence of Zn2+-Passivated Carbon Dots: Mechanism and Potential for the Detection of EDTA and Zn2

Zn²⁺-passivated carbon dots (named Z-CDs) were synthesized from zinc gluconate for the first time through a one-step pyrolysis treatment. The mechanism of Zn²⁺-enhanced fluorescence was carefully investigated, and a new strategy to passivate the surfaces of CDs by Zn²⁺ was proposed. Inspired by the complexation reaction between Zn²⁺ and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), a reversible "off-on" fluorescent nanosensor for the detection of EDTA and Zn²⁺ was constructed based on the depassivation and repassivation of Z-CDs, with a limit of detection as low as 3.2 × 10^-7 M and 5.1 × 10^-7 M, respectively. The proposed Z-CD-based nanosensor had been further utilized for EDTA and Zn²⁺ monitoring in tap water with excellent recovery. To the best of our knowledge, this was the first report of a fluorescence-based sensor of EDTA and a turn-on sensor of Zn²⁺ based on CDs with reversible detection capability. Also, benefiting from the low toxicity of zinc, Z-CDs were applied for multicolor bioimaging and in vitro detection in cells.

Spectroscopic (FT-IR, (1)H, (13)C NMR, UV), DOS and orbital overlap population analysis of copper complex of (E)-4-(2-(4-nitrophenyl) diazenyl)-N, N bis ((pyridin-2-yl) methyl) benzamine by density functional theory

The geometric parameters, chemical shifts, FTIR, NMR and orbital overlap population along with DOS (density of states) to know different kinds of interactions for binding of copper atom with (E)-4-(2-(4-nitrophenyl) diazenyl)-N, N bis ((pyridin-2-yl) methyl) benzamine to form its copper complex has been reported by DFT methods. The theoretically predicted values for structural parameters are in agreement with the experimentally reported values. NMR chemical shifts calculated using B3LYP/DFT/GIAO level of theory gives information about binding of copper atom with three nitrogen atoms namely N (3, 8 and 11). Orbital overlap population analysis using DFT/B3LYP/SDD level of theory is used to study the kind of interactions involved in binding of copper with the three nitrogen atoms. DOS studies are done to know about the contribution of alpha, beta electrons to the valence and conduction band. IR spectroscopy investigations gave the absorption bands for the formation of title compound. Electronic spectrum along with HOMO-LUMO energies of the title compound has been investigated using Time-dependent (TD-DFT) approach.

Potentiometric multi-walled carbon nanotube Zn-sensor based on a naphthalocyanine neutral carrier: experimental and theoretical studies

Naphthalocyanine derivative is incorporated in carbon paste electrode and examined as a neutral carrier for zinc selective electrode.

Improvement in the performance of a zinc ion-selective potentiometric sensor using modified core/shell Fe3O4@SiO2nanoparticles

A novel, simple, accurate and sensitive zinc ion-selective potentiometric sensor was fabricated by modifying the surface of Fe₃O₄@SiO₂nanoparticles using a ligand prepared by a coupled reaction between APTMS and 2-H-3-MBA.

Solid contact Zn2+ -selective electrode with low detection limit and stable and reversible potential

A new solid contact Zn2+ polyvinylchloride membrane sensor with 2-(2-Hydroxy-1-naphthylazo)-1,3,4 -thiadiazole as an ionophore has been prepared. For the electrode construction, ionic liquids, alkylmethylimidazolium chlorides are used as transducer media and as a lipophilic ionic membrane component. The addition of ionic liquid to the membrane phase was found to reduce membrane resistance and determine the potential of an internal reference Ag/AgCl electrode. The electrode with the membrane composition: ionophore: PVC: o-NPOE: ionic liquid in the percentage ratio of (wt.) 1:30:66:3, respectively, exhibited the best performance, having a slope of 29.8 mV decade−1 in the concentration range 3×10−7–1×10−1 M. The detection limit is 6.9×10−8 M. It has a fast response time of 5–7 s and exhibits stable and reproducible potential. It has a fast response time of 5–7 s and exhibits stable and reproducible potential, which does not depend on pH in the range 3.8–8.0. The proposed sensor shows a good and satisfactory selectivity towards Zn2+ ion in comparison with other cations including alkali, alkaline earth, transition and heavy metal ions. It was successfully applied for direct determination of zinc ions in tap water and as an indicator electrode in potentiometric titration of Zn2+ ions with EDTA.

A colorimetric organic chemo-sensor for Co2+ in a fully aqueous environment

A novel practical “naked eye” probe for Co²⁺ in a fully aqueous solution has been developed.

Potentiometric zinc ion sensor based on honeycomb-like NiO nanostructures

In this study honeycomb-like NiO nanostructures were grown on nickel foam by a simple hydrothermal growth method. The NiO nanostructures were characterized by field emission electron microscopy (FESEM), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques. The characterized NiO nanostructures were uniform, dense and polycrystalline in the crystal phase. In addition to this, the NiO nanostructures were used in the development of a zinc ion sensor electrode by functionalization with the highly selective zinc ion ionophore 12-crown-4. The developed zinc ion sensor electrode has shown a good linear potentiometric response for a wide range of zinc ion concentrations, ranging from 0.001 mM to 100 mM, with sensitivity of 36 mV/decade. The detection limit of the present zinc ion sensor was found to be 0.0005 mM and it also displays a fast response time of less than 10 s. The proposed zinc ion sensor electrode has also shown good reproducibility, repeatability, storage stability and selectivity. The zinc ion sensor based on the functionalized NiO nanostructures was also used as indicator electrode in potentiometric titrations and it has demonstrated an acceptable stoichiometric relationship for the determination of zinc ion in unknown samples. The NiO nanostructures-based zinc ion sensor has potential for analysing zinc ion in various industrial, clinical and other real samples.

Colorimetric detection of copper and chloride in DMSO/H₂O media using bromopyrogallol red as a chemosensor with analytical applications

We report bromopyrogallol red (BPR) as an easily available dye for detection of copper and chloride with distinct visual color changes in DMSO/H(2)O (9:1 v/v). The chemosensor has a high chromogenic selectivity for Cu(2+) over other cations with detection limit of 0.07 μg mL(-1). The obtained complex of Cu(2+) with BPR displayed ability to detect Cl(-) up to 0.79 μg mL(-1) in DMSO/H(2)O (9:1v/v) media over a large number of other anions. The linear dynamic ranges for the determinations of Cu(2+) and Cl(-) were 0.53-14.60 and 6.00-36.00 μg mL(-1), respectively. This receptor was successfully applied for the determination of Cl(-) and Cu(2+) in water samples.

Halogen-free ionic liquid as an additive in zinc(II)-selective electrode: surface analyses as correlated to the membrane activity

Two conventional Zn(II) polyvinyl chloride (PVC) membrane electrodes have been prepared and characterized. They were based on dibenzo-24-crown-8 (DBC) as a neutral carrier, dioctyl phthalate (DOP) as a plasticizer, and potassium tetrakis (p-chlorophenyl) borate, KTpClPB or the halogen-free ionic liquid, tetraoctylammonium dodecylbenzene sulfonate [TOA][DBS] as an additive. The use of ionic liquid has been found to enhance the selectivity of the sensor. For each electrode, the surfaces of two membranes were investigated using X-ray photoelectron, ion-scattering spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy. One of the two membranes was conditioned by soaking it for 24 h in a 1.0×10(-3) M Zn(NO(3))(2) solution and the second was soaked in bi-distilled water for the same interval (24 h). Comparing the two surfaces indicated the following: (a) the high selectivity in case of using [TOA][DBS] as an additive is due to the extra mediation caused by the ionic liquid and (b) the working mechanism of the electrode is based on phase equilibrium at the surface of the membrane associated with ion transport through the bulk of the membrane.

Ferrocene based chemosensor for Cu2+--a dual channel signaling system

A new ferrocene based molecule behaves as a dual channel signaling chemosensor for Cu(2+) over other metal ions. The perturbations in the absorption pattern and electrochemical behavior of the chemosensor are presented. These have been proposed to be caused by the interaction of Cu(2+) with the d-electrons and the electron rich π-system of the ferrocenyl derivative. The sensing event is manifested by a high energy shift in the ligand centered π-π* absorption and appearance of a new redox wave at more positive potential, in addition to Fe(II)/Fe(III) couple wave (two wave electrochemical behavior).

Methoxy-substituted isoTQEN family for enhanced fluorescence response toward zinc ion

Previously, we have reported that 1- and 3-isoTQENs (N,N,N',N'-tetrakis(1- or 3-isoquinolylmethyl)ethylenediamines) exhibit a specific fluorescence enhancement toward zinc ion. In this study, three methoxy-substituted derivatives of 1-isoTQEN were synthesized and their fluorescent response toward zinc ion was studied. The substitution pattern of the methoxy group significantly changes the solubility of compounds in aqueous DMF, λ(max) in the absorption spectra, excitation/emission wavelengths and fluorescence intensity of zinc complexes. In the presence of zinc ion, 7-MeO-1-isoTQEN exhibits higher fluorescence intensity and longer excitation/emission wavelengths (λ(ex) = 342 nm, λ(em) = 526 nm) than 6-MeO-1-isoTQEN (λ(ex) = 303 nm, λ(em) = 469 nm) and 5,6,7-triMeO-1-isoTQEN (λ(ex) = 340 nm, λ(em) = 504 nm). The fluorescence intensity of a zinc complex of 7-MeO-1-isoTQEN (ϕ = 0.122) is four times higher than the parent 1-isoTQEN (ϕ = 0.034) under the same conditions. The crystal structure of 7-MeO-1-isoTQEN-Zn complex reveals that all six nitrogen atoms participate to the metal coordination with ideal octahedral geometry, affording significantly high metal binding affinity comparable with TPEN (N,N,N',N'-tetrakis(2-pyridylmethyl)ethylenediamine). 7-MeO-1-isoTQEN detects zinc ion concentration change in cells by fluorescence microscopic analysis.

A ratiometric fluorescent sensor for zinc ions based on covalently immobilized derivative of benzoxazole

In the present paper, we describe the fabrication and analytical characteristics of fluorescence-based zinc ion-sensing glass slides. To construct the sensor, a benzoxazole derivative 4-benzoxazol-2'-yl-3-hydroxyphenyl allyl ether (1) with a terminal double bond was synthesized and copolymerized with 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) on the activated surface of glass slides by UV irradiation. In the absence of Zn(2+) at pH 7.24, the resulting optical sensor emitted fluorescence at 450 nm via excited-state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT). Upon binding with Zn(2+), the ESIPT process was inhibited resulting in a 46 nm blue-shift of fluorescence emission. Thus, the proposed sensor can behave as a ratiometric fluorescent sensor for the selective detection of Zn(2+). In addition, the sensor shows nice selectivity, good reproducibility and fast response time. Cd(2+) did not interfere with Zn(2+) sensing. The sensing membrane demonstrates a good stability with a lifetime of at least 3 months. The linear response range covers a concentration range of Zn(2+) from 8.0x10(-5) to 4.0x10(-3) mol/L and the detection limit is 4.0x10(-5) mol/L. The determination of Zn(2+) in both tap and river water samples shows satisfactory results.